Public companies sign MoU with Guangdong Zhenrong

WILLEMSTAD - The latest in a series of MoU’s between government companies in Curaçao and Guangdong Zhenrong Energy Co. Ltd. (GZE) / China Zhenrong Holding Limited was signed yesterday.

Since signing the Addendum to the Heads of Agreement between Curaçao and GZE on September 26, CDM Holding, CPA / KTK, Curoil, Aqualectra and Selikor have signed their own memorandum of understanding with the Chinese state oil company.

Following the signing of the addendum, it was the turn of several government companies of Curaçao to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the presence of their ministers with GZE.

The signing ceremony of yesterday took place in the presence of Minister Steven Martina of Economic Development and Minister Suzy Camelia-Römer of Health, Environment and Nature.

“With these MoU's, the government has taken an important step in the process of cooperation on the one hand and laying down basic principles on the other hand to initiate negotiations between the Curaçao government companies and the new refinery operator,” the government said in a written statement. “It seems that Guangdong Zhenrong Energy Co. Ltd. becomes this new operator.”

The government agencies involved, which maintains a close relationship with the refinery, have expressed the intention to study the possibilities of cooperation with GZE through the MoU to maintain the current relationship with the oil refinery. “Where possible, this relationship will be improved by examining new markets, expanding existing activities or introducing new activities within the Caribbean and Latin America,” said the government.

Taking into account the existing economic relationship between China and the Caribbean and the United States and also within the framework of the One Belt One Road Initiative, the goal for Curaçao is to capitalize on the presence of GZE on the island.